Turbine-engine.



No. 788,395; PATENTED APR. 25, 1905. E. EINFELDT.

TURBINE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 1330.23, 1904.

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v1\To.'788,395.

PATENTED APR. 25, 1905. E. EINFELDT.

TURBINE ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED 30110.23, 1904.

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No. 788,395. v PATENTED APR. 25, 1905.

E. EINFELDT.

TURBINE ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED 1030.23, 1904.

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awmntoz witnesses I v g i attpzmq UNITED STATES Patented April 25, 1905.

EMIL EINFELDT, OF DAVENPORT, IOYVA.

TURBINE-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 788,395, dated April 25, 1905.

Application filed December 23, 1904:. Serial No. 288,109.

. wherein a rotary piston equipped with buckets or vanes, preferably on its periphery, revolves within a fixed cylinder or casing, the driving or impelling medium acting on the peripheral vanes and serving by itskinetic energy to impart to the piston a rapid rotary motion. The invention, however, is susceptible of other and equivalent forms of embodiment such aswould suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved engine with portions of the inclosing casing or cylinder broken away to expose the internal parts to view. Fig. .2 is a horizontal sectional plan view on the lineaa ofFig. 1. Fig. 3is avertical sectional plan view on the line b b of said figure.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a fixed cylinder or casing mounted on a bedplate 2, and 3 represents a piston mounted to revolve within said cylinder.

The cylinder or casing consists of two circular plates 4L and 5 rising from the bed-plate, the plate 4 having its face recessed and seated and secured against the opposing plate, so as to leave between them a flat circular chamber 6, in which the piston is mounted. At their centers the two plates 4 and 5 are provided with outwardly-extending bosses 7 and 8, containing axial alined openings forming bearings in which is mounted a horizontal shaft 9, carrying piston 3.

The piston 3 comprises a central hub 10, firmly fixed to the shaft and formed with a flat radial disk-like extension 11 projecting part way into the chamber 6, the outer portion of which extension is reduced in thickness. To the opposite sides of this reduced portion of the extension ll'are appliedand firmly fixed two annular steel ring-plates 13 and 1 1, the outer faces of which form contin uations of the outer faces of the hub 10 and fit between the inner faces of two plates 15 and 16, set in recesses in the adjacent faces of the two vertical plates 4 and 5 of the casing. These plates 15 and 16 extend at their outer ends horizontally inward toward each other and have their meeting edges ground to form a tight joint, so that these plates, in effect, conjointly form the opposing walls and outer wall of the chamber 6.

Where the two ring-plates 13 and 14 extend beyond the outer extremity of the radial extension 11 there is left between their adjacent faces an annular space, which space is divided into anum'ber of compartments 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23, separated by radial partitions 2 1, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29, formed conjointly by radial opposing ribs extending inwardly from the adjacent faces of the plates 13 and 14:, which opposing ribs are ground to form a tight joint and, in efiect, continuous partitions betweenthe compartments. The outer or end walls of these several compartments are formed conjointly by opposing annular flanges 30 and 31, extending inwardly toward each other from the two plates 13 and 1 1 at their outer edges, the meeting faces of the said flanges being ground to form a tight joint and to constitute, in effect, a continuous wall. These outer walls thus formed are provided at intervals with a series of openings at a (4 &c., forming inclined vanes, against which the incoming steam is directed to rotate the piston and through which openings it enters and fills the several compartments in succession. The induction of the steam for this purpose is effected at two diametrically opposite points through the outer wall of the chamber 6, as indicated at A and B, through induction-ports A and B, respectively, so as to equalize the pressure and balance the piston, and as the jets of steam strike the vanes they impart to.

the piston impelling forces at opposite sides and cause the same to rotate, the inflowing steam acting in succession on the vanes as they pass by the points of entrance and filling the compartments of the piston as they pass by in succession.

The exhaust of the steam from the compartments is effected at diametrically opposite points in the cylinder midway between the points of induction, as indicated at C and D, the cylinder at these points of exhaust being enlarged, as shown, to form two exhaust chambers or ports 0 and (Z at the top and bottom, respectively, of the cylinder and opening to the atmosphere. The relative position and extent of these exhaust-ports and the compartments of the piston are such that the exhaust of one compartment will be initiated simultaneously with the beginning of action of the incoming steam on the next compartment following, so that the effect is to simultaneously fill and empty two sets of chambers or compartments in succession at equal and at diametrical pointsin the circumference of the piston. I propose in efiecting the exhaust of the steam from the compartments in the piston to cause the outfiowing steam to give a further impulse to the piston simultaneously with the impulse given by the inflowing steam. This I accomplish by providing the outer wall or chamber 6 of the cylinder where said wall extends along the exhaust-chambers 0 and (Z with exhaust-openings cf g, &c., extending through said wall and forming a series of vanes inclined oppositely to those on the periphery of the piston, against which vanes the outflowing steam will impinge and by its reactionary effect on the vanes of the piston will impart a driving impulse to the same, as a result of which construction the piston will receivedriving impulses at the four points in its circumference corresponding to the two points of induction and the two points of exhaust.

In the operation of the mechanism described, assuming the piston to be in the position represented in Fig. 1, the first opening a through the outer wall of compartment 18 is in communication with the ind uction-port B, and the first opening through the wall of compartment 19 is in communication with the first opening 6 of exhaust-chamber (Z, the compartment 19 having been previously filled with steam in its passage by the induction-port, which steam is confined therein at a pressure equal with that of the induction. As the piston moves around in the direction of the arrow the openings (0 (L 620., of compartment 18 are brought in succession in communication with the induction-port, the vanes separating the openings being acted on by the incoming steam and the latter gradually filling the compartment. Simultaneously the openings through the wall of compartment 19 are placed successively in communication with the exhaust-openings e f g, &c., of exhaustchamber (Z, and'the steam under pressure in said compartment 19 finds its escape gradually through said openings into the exhaust-chamher, the said steam acting in its passage from the compartment against the vanes between the exhaust-openings, and thus imparting successive impulses to the piston. The simultaneous filling and emptying of the two compartments 18 and 19 continues until the former passes beyond the pointof induction and has become filled and the latter passes beyond the point of exhaust, whereupon the next compartment 23 is brought into communication with thcind uction-port and the filled compartment 18 into communication with theexhaust, and these compartments are in like manner filled and exhausted, each filling and emptying operation resulting in a series of corresponding impulses to the piston at the two points.

It is obvious that in the arrangement illustrated, where there are two diametrically opposite induction-points and two diametrically opposite exhaust-points, the operations described take place simultaneously at the two sides and at the top and bottom of the cylinder, so that the pressure on the piston is evenly distributed throughout.

It is obvious, of course, that, as far as the broad idea of my invention is concerned, a greater or less number of compartments and a greater or less number of points of induction and eduction may be provided, the essence of the invention in this respect residing in providing the piston with one or more compartments, each having a plurality of entrance and exit openings adapted to be brought in succession past the points of induction and eduction, and in forming the cylinder between said points so that the openings in the compartments will be closed, whereby the steam filling the compartment will be retained under full pressure until the exhaust-chamber is reached, at which point it will find its escape.

In the filling of the compartments in the piston the ingress of steam at the beginning of the operation meets with no opposition or counter-pressure; but as the steam begins to fill the compartment it offers a gradually-increasing resistance to that entering until the compartment is completely filled, when the two pressures are evenly balanced. I pro pose, in order to meet these changing conditions, to graduate the openings 0 a a 860., through the wall of the compartment in respect to the size of said openings and the intervals between them, these dimensions gradually increasing from the front to the rear of the compartment, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, where it will be seen that at the front end the openings a Z) c, &c., are very narrow and closer together in proportion to the openings at the opposite end of the compartment, the change being gradual, however, and in proportion to the changes in the relative pressures existing. The effect of this construction is to equalize the force exerted by the incoming steam on the vanes and to distribute the energy imparted equally throughout the series of vanes. In the exhausting of the compartments this graduation of the openings serves a similar function or purpose in oflering to the outflowing steam as the pressure within the compartment gradually decreases a correspondingly-decreasing resistance. This gradual decreasing resistance olfered to the outgoing steam may be increased, in effect, by grad uatingalso the openings efg,&c. ,in the inner walls of chambers c and d, the cross-sectional area of said openings and also, if desired, the intervals between them increasing gradually as the rear end of said chambers is approached.

It will be observed that in the operation of my engine when the compartment-openings are brought in succession into register with the respective openings in the exhaust-chamber the effect is to increase one by one the number of escape-passages for the steam and to present a correspondingly-increasing number of vanes or impact-surfaces to the action of the outgoing steam, whereby as the pressure in the compartment gradually decreases a gradually-increasing number of impact-surfaces is presented.

Having thus described my invention, what.

I claim is 1. In aturbine-engine the combination with a cylinder provided with induction and eduction ports, of a rotary piston mounted therein and provided with a plurality of non-communicating compartments, each formed with a plurality of openings for the entrance and exit of steam, said openings being adapted,

by the rotation of the piston, to be brought successively into communication with the induction and eduction ports respectively.

2. In a turbine-engine the combination with a cylinder provided with an induction-port and with a peripheral exhaust-chamber formed with a plurality of peripheral openings affording a communication between the cylinder and exhaust-chamber, of a rotary piston mounted in said cylinder and formed with a compartment having a plurality of peripheral openings for the entrance and exit of steam, said compartment-openings being adapted to be placed in communication respectively with the induction-port, and the openings entering the exhaust-chamber.

3. In a turbineengine,the combination with a cylinder formed with induction and eduction ports, of a rotary piston therein provided with a compartment formed with openings for the entrance of the steam from the induction-port, said openings increasing in area toward the rear of the compartment, and means for exhausting the steam from said compartment.

4. In a turbineengine,the combination with acylinder formed with induction and ed uction ports, of a rotary piston therein provided with a compartment formed with openings for the entrance of the steam from the ind uction-port,

the spaces between said openings increasing in width toward the rear of the compartment, and means for exhausting the steam from said compartment.

5. In a turbineengine,the combination with a cylinder formed with induction and eduction ports, of a rotary piston therein provided with a compartment formed with openings for the entrance of the steam from the induction-port, said openings increasing in area and being spaced farther apart toward the rear of the compartment, and means for exhausting the steam from said compartment.

6. In a tu rbine-engine,the combination with acylinder provided with induction and eduction ports and formed with a plurality of openings afiording a communication between the cylinder and eduction-port, of a rotary piston mounted in the cylinder and having a compartment provided with a plurality of openings for the entrance and exit of steam, said openings in the compartment increasing in area toward the rear of the same.

7 In a tu rbine-engine, the combination with a cylinder provided with induction and. eduction ports, of a rotary piston therein formed with a plurality of compartments each having a plurality of openings for the entrance and exit of steam, said induction and eduction ports being so arranged with relation to the compartments in the piston, that the entrance of steam into one compartment and its exhaust from the next compartment in advance, will be initiated simultaneously.

8. In a turbine-engine,the combination with a cylinder provided with an induction-port and an eductionport,of a rotary piston mounted in said cylinder and formed with a compartment having a plurality of openings for the entrance and exit of steam, said openings extending throughout the length of the compartment, the said eduction-port being formed with a plurality of openings extending at intervals a distance corresponding to the length of the compartment in the piston, the said compartment-openings and those through the eduction-port being adapted to be brought into register as the piston moves past the eductionport. 9. In a'turbine-enginemhe combination with a cylinder provided with an induction-port, and with an exhaust-chamber having a plurality of openings therethrough communicating with the interior of the cylinder, said openings being of gradually-increasing area toward the end of the chamber, of a rotary piston mounted in said cylinder.

10. In a turbine-engine, the combination with a cylinder provided with an inductionport, and with an exhaust-chamber having a plurality of openings affording a graduallydecreasing resistance to the exhaust of the steam as the end of said chamber is approached, of a rotary piston mounted in said cylinder IIO and formed with a compartment having a'plurality of openings for the entrance and exit of steam, said openings affording a graduallydecreasing resistance to the passage of the steam as the rear end of the compartment is approached, and adapted to be brought into communication respectively with the induction-port and the exhaust-chamber.

11. In a turbine-engine, the combination with a cylinder provided with induction and eduction ports, of a rotary piston therein formed with a compartment having a plurality of openings therethrough, arranged so as to afford a decreasing resistance to the passage of the steam as the rear end of the compartment is approached.

12. In a turbine-engine, the combination with a cylinder provided with an inductionport and With an exhaust-chamber, the latter being formed With a plurality of openings arranged so as to ofier a decreasing resistance to the exit of the steam as the end of said chamber is approached, of a rotary piston mounted in said cylinder.

13. In a turbine-engine, the combination with a cylinder provided with an inductionport, of a rotary piston mounted therein and formed with a steam-storing compartment adapted to be filled With steam at the induction-port, means for exhausting the steam from said compartment; and means for presenting to the action of the exhaust-steam as the exhaust operation progresses, a continually-increasing number of impact-surfaces.

14:. In a turbine-engine, the combination with a cylinder provided with an inductionport and an eduction-port. of a rotary piston mounted therein and formed with a steamstoring compartment adapted to be filled at the induction-port, and means situated at the eduction-port, for presenting to the action of the exhaust-steam a continuously-increasing number of exit-openings and a continuouslyincreasing number of impact-surfaces.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 29th day of November, 1904, in the presence of two attesting Witnesses.

EMIL EINFELDT.

Witnesses:

HAZEL NORDEMAN, W. R. KENNEDY. 

